https://arab.news/m9r5v
The EU is as much a dream as it is a political and economic union. Like all dreams, it needs a periodic reality check, as it is a unique experience in human history. Developments in recent years, both political and economic, have served as a wake-up call to the need for renewal, forcing the EU to assess how it can defend its interests while preserving its values in a world that is increasingly antithetical to them. And to do so, it has refocused on several priority areas for strengthening and ensuring it remains sustainable deep into the 21st century.
There is an ever-present challenge to create a high level of uniformity within this 27-state union in terms of values and direction, while also maintaining fairness with the benefits they all enjoy and the contributions they all make. The EU was built to a large extent on a best-case scenario of an ever-growing economy, while its members were not engaged, at least directly, in war or conflict. From humble beginnings, it became a union of 27 countries, despite losing a powerful member due to Brexit, and now represents the world’s largest exporter of manufactured goods and services while itself being the biggest export market for around 80 countries.
